Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz says a new season brings a new challenge. The Hawkeyes open practice with high expectations after rolling to a 12-0 regular season record in 2015. He says “Every year you try to win every game. I think every coach has that goal certainly, but rarely do you accomplish it, so it was a special year. But there are still things we can improve on, things we have to work on. The other big thing is, like every team in America, we’re a new team. We’re not the same team we were a year ago. We’ve got some new opportunities, certainly for a lot of challenges, and hopefully the next month and a half here we’ll work through some of those.”

Ferentz says last season was also proof of just how slim the margin is for the Hawkeyes. “The key thing” he says, “Is that we won 12 games…outside of one. There wasn’t one of us who was relaxed in the last four minutes, so it’s just an illustration of how close things are. Certainly in our conference they are.” The point being, he says “We’ve got a lot of work to do, just to win one game right now, let alone 12. That’s where our focus has to be, to see if we can get into position to win our first game.”

Ferentz says leadership was a key element in Iowa’s success last season and they need a new group of leaders to emerge. “We had 21 Seniors that did a fantastic job. Only one NFL draft pick in the whole group, so it gives you an idea of the collective power that those guys had. To that point, we’ve got to have other guys ascend now to take that spot. I think we have those people. What I’m most concerned about probably, is who’s going to fill the void underneath, as those guys emerge. That’s where the younger players have to step up. I think we got a glimpse of that this Spring. Certainly the next month here we’ll learn a lot more about our team and if guys are ready to step up and meet those kinds of challenges.”

Ferentz says the coaches got a glimpse of their potential during spring practice and are now looking forward to finding out how good they can be. He said “It’s interesting: you only have 15 days in the Spring. 12 of those are in pads. Now you move into [training] camp and it’s 29 practices…the concentration on football is a little bit more intense. I think we’ll learn more about our team here, and like every coach in America, just curious to see what games we’ve made, who’s ready to really step in there and do a good job, and provide and leadership, those kinds of things.”

Iowa opens at home on September third against Miami of Ohio.

(Learfield Sports)

Northern Iowa football coach Mark Farley met with the media today (Friday) and says with a lot of new faces, he’ll depend on his staff to bring them along. “As I look at this football team moving into a media day with only one practice behind it, I think the best opportunity that we have is going to start with the coaching staff. I think the coaching staff has been the stable part of what we’ve done over all the years,” according to Farley.

One area where there is experience is at quarterback. Aaron Bailey has the skill set and has the experience now, and his game could be as good as he develops it too…..he’s put the time in, now we know his skill set,” Farley says. Another experienced leader is on defense. He says Karter Schult is a leader and another self -made, self-developed player form Tripoli who represents what it means to be a U-N-I player. Farley says Schult has gotten a lot of preseason recognition and hopefully he can earn some post-season recognition too.

Farley says the new faces in camp will add the depth that has been missing. Farley says the team was lean in the spring due to injury and the size of the graduating class. He has filled out the roster with a mix of players. There are several freshmen, and a transfer from Fresno State, Florida State and Northern Illinois. “So we have some young men that came in with some experience and some maturity to them, and yet we have some young men who came from some great programs who have a lot of confidence,” Farley says.

The Panthers open the season September 3rd in Ames against Iowa State.

(Learfield Sports)

Officials with Cass County Conservation report the Nishna Valley Trails group is hosting a Kids Bike Ride August 13th, 2016 beginning at 10:30-a.m. Check-in and start of the ride both take place in the west parking lot of the Schildberg Recreation Area, in Atlantic.

There are three age groups, with each ride length according to age. The event is FREE, and all ages welcome. The ride is co-sponsored by Atlantic Parks and Recreation, Cass County Conservation, Howard’s, Fareway, and West Side Diner, in Atlantic.

If you have any questions, call Cass County Interpretive Naturalist Lora Kanning, at 712-769-2372. After the ride, you check out Atlanticfest going on in the downtown area!

The 7:20-a.m. Sportscast w/Jim Field.

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The long-time director of the Drake Relays is leaving. Brian Brown and his wife Natasha Kaiser-Brown are taking jobs at the University of Missouri in Columbia. Brian Brown led the Relays for 11 years and is credited with expanding its scope in the Des Moines metro. Des Moines-native and Olympic silver medalist Natasha Kaiser-Brown has guided the Drake track and field program for 15 years.

Brian will be an assistant athletic director at Missouri, where he earned his master’s and doctorate degrees. Natasha will be an associate head coach for track and field at the school from which she graduated.

(Radio Iowa)

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CINCINNATI (AP) — Brandon Moss singled home a pair of runs during St. Louis’ four-run first inning, extending his season-long streak against the Reds, and the Cardinals held on for a 5-4 victory over Cincinnati Wednesday night to even their series. St. Louis sent nine batters to the plate against Cody Reed (0-6) in the first inning, with Moss and Greg Garcia each driving in a pair of runs with singles. Stephen Piscotty added a solo homer, the Cardinals’ fifth in two games.

Moss and Jhonny Peralta returned from the disabled list at the start of the series and have contributed as the teams split the first two games. Moss is 5 for 9 with three doubles and a homer. For the season, he’s 12 of 28 (.429) against the Reds with three doubles and five homers.

The Cardinals and Reds are back in action today (Thursday), at Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati. Our pre-game coverage begins at 10:40-a.m. on KJAN, with the 1st pitch at around 11:35.

CINCINNATI (AP) — The St. Louis Cardinals put left-handed reliever Tyler Lyons on the 15-day disabled list with a sore right knee on Wednesday before the second game of their series against the Cincinnati Reds. The Cardinals recalled left-hander Dean Kiekhefer, who was sent to Triple-A on Tuesday when St. Louis added left-hander Zach Duke to the bullpen. They acquired Duke from the White Sox Sunday.

Lyons was 2-0 with a 3.38 ERA in 30 games. Kiekhefer made his major league debut on May 14. He appeared in 14 games and gave up seven runs in 13 innings for a 4.85 ERA. The moves came a day after the Cardinals got regulars Brandon Moss and Jhonny Peralta back from injury and put shortstop Aledmys Diaz on the DL with a broken right thumb.